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A new study released by the National Endowment for the Arts, The Arts and Achievment in At-Risk Youth: Findings from Four Longituinal Studies, examines the academic and civic behavior outcomes of teenagers and young adults who have engaged deeply with the arts in or out of school.

According to the research, "teenagers and young adults of low socioeconomic status (SES) who have a history of in-depth arts involvement show better academic outcomes than do low-SES youth who have less arts involvement. They earn better grades and demonstrate higher rates of college enrollment and attainment."

The National Endowment for the Arts has released a new research report, Improving the Assessment of Student Learning in the Arts: State of the Field and Recommendations. As the field of educational assessment advances, and as alternatives to standardized tests emerge, the tools used to evaluate student learning, such as portfolio reviews, are beginning to gain acceptance. Given this development, it is even more important to examine arts educational standards and assessment tools to ensure that arts learning can become a vital force for enhancing 21st century skills. Read the report.

In the coming months your local school board will be making important budget decisions. Find out how you can be a part of the conversation.

The California Alliance for Arts Education, in partnership with the California State PTA, created School Board 101, a free one-hour webinar to help advocates work with their local school board. The webinar offers an introduction to what school boards do, and how you can build relationships, communicate effectively and advocate to keep arts and music programs funded.

School Board 101 was held on February 23. An archive of the event will be available shortly. To recieve a link to the archive when it's ready, email: sibyl at artsed411 dot org.

The academic and social value of the arts is well-documented, and researchers now recognize an economic value. Leaders and employees of successful businesses and organizations in today’s creative economy utilize creativity, think critically, respect diverse viewpoints, and collaborate effectively. These are skills developed through arts education. California’s creative industry—one of the largest in the world—can certainly benefit from effective arts education programs in California schools.

A new research study asserts that even in the midst of educational and financial struggles, it is essential for California to invest in the arts in order to flourish within a culturally diverse, economically successful, and highly competitive global community. Investing in Arts Education to Advance California’s Creative Industry, a study by Kurt Whitman, analyzes the current role of arts education in the context of law and policy and includes a proposed course of action to more effectively fund and instruct the arts in California. Read the study.

OnlineColleges.net offers digests and links to ten recent studies about the impact of arts in education. Reports by research organizations, college professors and school districts themselves reveal the power of art to inspire, motivate and educate today’s students." Read the studies.

“Building Community, Making Space for Art,” new study released in October by Maria Rosario Jackson of the Urban Institute, sheds new light on the relationship between “dimensions of cultural vitality” and “economic development, attachment to place, positive health outcomes, and civic engagement, among other desirable impacts.” The research parses the kinds of organizations and activities that contribute most to community revitalization. Read more.

On July 10, 2010, a Newsweek headline provocatively proclaimed that the United States was in “The Creativity Crisis,” citing evidence that shows for the first time in 50 years, American creativity is on the decline. In a global economy where innovation drives prosperity, the United States faces increasing competition from around the world in maintaining its competitiveness.

Music Matters, a new publication from the Arts Education Partnership, shows conclusively that: music education equips students to learn; music education facilitates student academic achievement; and music education develops the creative capacities for lifelong success.

This fall, the California Alliance undertook its first ever arts education survey of candidates for the November 2010 election. Members of our Local Advocacy Network secured the participation of school board candidates in over forty school districts. Candidates answered questions about policy as well as their personal experiences with the arts. The results were posted in early October, but the positive impact of this work is ongoing.